Bounty Hunter
by God's Must Be Strong
Summary: Victor Khan is a lucky one of the few who escaped Earth after it fell to the alien conglomerate known as the Covenant, with the Prophet of Truth dead they still continued their genocidal campaign. Spartan 117 missing in action, and the UNSC crippled, Earth was an easy target. Now after his short stint as a Marine, Victor has taken his skills and become a deadly bounty hunter.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: In this story for the first season of the Clone Wars tv show, I'm making Ahsoka around 16, just for you all to know. I hope you enjoy this and I hope that I didn't get OOC with the characters, if so let me know in the Reviews or in my PM's. Feel free to Review, Favorite, or Follow if you want. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

**Disclosure: I own neither Halo, nor Star Wars. **

-4 Years Ago-

"_Look out!" He yelled as a spike grenade landed beside a trio of Marines, two carrying the wounded third, with no time to react they were helpless and fell to the weapon, laying lifeless in the concrete tunnel. The hall shook, rubble and dust coming from the ceiling of the subterranean base, a pack of Brutes came around the corner, led by a Chieftain with a gravity hammer and followed by a vanguard of Grunts. Anger surged through him, the feeling of loss, the loss of his family his friends, and everyone else he had held dear. All at the hands of the Covenant Remnant. _

_Picking up one of the fallen Marine's battle riffle, he pulled the trigger, and kept pulling it until the clip was empty. The majority of the shots going wide, as he had never held a weapon before, some found their marks killing the Grunts and the Chieftain let out a chuckle at him, which enraged him even more. _

_He charged at them, fists balled, and delivered what he thought was a mean right hook to the alien's chest. But his fist stopped and the Brute Chieftain laughed at him, before flinging him aside with a sweep of his hairy arm, sending him flying into the wall. His vision was dotted with black and pain racked his body. _

_Then through his hazy vision, he saw a flurry of blue plasma rounds fly into the Brutes, saw their armor crack and fall off and then saw the massive beasts fall themselves. What came next, surprised him more. A Sangheili Major decloaked and surveyed the scene with his Plasma Rifle. Thank God, the Elites, no that was what they were no longer referred to, the Sangheili had come to evacuate them from their world. Wearily he tried to move his arm so that he could get up, but it screamed in protest, and he could only assume that it was broken. _

_The Major saw this, and called out, "Arbiter, it is clear, there is a wounded young Human," From the other end of the corridor came a squadron of Sangheili minor's bristling to the teeth with weapons, and at their head was the Arbiter himself. _

"_Major, this base is lost, are you sure that this is all of the remaining Humans?" The Sangheili leader questioned._

"_Affirmative, sir," The Major responded, as the Arbiter moved towards him and crouched, he examined him for a moment as he sat up, holding his right arm in pain._

"_What ails you, young one?" He asked, his eyes peering upon him curiously._

"_My arm, sir," he said, respect evident in his voice. _

_The Arbiter seemed taken aback by the word 'sir' for but a moment, "When most of your race speaks, it is rarely with respect."_

"_My mother taught me right," He said nonchalantly._

_The Arbiter gave a small huff of amusement, "A wise woman she was then,"_

_He looked down in remembrance, a small smile upon his face, "Come, we must go, this base is lost," He said, rising to his feet and walking back the way they had come. The other Sangheili watching their backs as they moved forward, eventually they reached the hangar, looking out over the now charred and burning forests of the Pacific Northwest, in the former United States of America. _

_In the hanger were a Phantom that belonged to the Covenant Seperatist's, and a battered looking Pelican. _

_He saw Lord Hood, the Lord Terrence Hood, step out from the Pelican to greet the Arbiter._

Waking up violently, he put a hand to his shaved head, Victor Khan didn't feel like today was his 17th birthday. Most of it had been spent wallowing away in a Coruscanti bar, spending his bank account on the patrons inside, most of which had been made from his position as a bounty hunter. Granted he wasn't that known, but he got the job done, after all he was trained as one of the last soldiers in the UNSC. When there were so few left, age didn't matter.

Now he was the last of a dying breed, Earth Humans, as he liked to call them, were all but wiped out. Only a handful escaping the doomed Omega Base, aboard the last UNSC ship The Infinity which began to function less as a war ship and more as a mobile home. Housing what was left of the UNSC. The Sangheili, well the last he had heard from Lord Hood, they were still holding out, a lot of them had died but the Arbiter was a good leader and his people would follow him to death and beyond.

His weapon of choice sat on the small desk of his safe house here on Coruscant, a UNSC issue sniper rifle, with high enough caliber rounds that would rip a Trandoshan in half. Most of Victor's equipment (i.e. his rangefinders, scopes, and armor) was all UNSC issue, but he had also acquired some other equipment, stuff he'd learned he would need from his mistakes. Shock cuffs, bolo's, and a jetpack were just a few.

Sweeping his legs over the side of the sorry excuse for a bed, he began to pull his boots, which were specially out fitted with magnetic grips on the soles. Just in case he needed to go for a walk in space. That wasn't a problem thanks to the air tight ODST helmet he wore, given to him by a dying Helljumper.

Standing at 6 feet, he cut an intimidating figure, and most normally steered clear of him. Tapping the data pad on his forearm, he checked his schedule and swore when he saw that he was late to a meeting with someone willing to hire him. And his potential employer didn't like to be kept waiting.

He slammed his fist into the side of the apartment door, and exited into the apartment complexes main corridor, most of the walls covered in graffiti. Helmet tucked under his arm he walked into the cantina adjacent to the apartments, and took a seat at the bar.

A snakelike alien slithered down from the rafters, "What's your poison?" it hissed at him. Wearing what nowadays seemed like a permanent scowl he responded, "Give me your best."

Using its tale, it brought down a glass full of a dark ebony liquid, shrugging he raised it to his lips, "You know damn well I don't like to be kept waiting," the voice stopped him. Slowly he turned, sitting in the seat next to him was a male Duros, wearing a wide brimmed hat, swirling around his own drink.

"Sorry, rough night, and besides you know me, what did you expect?" He replied to his fellow bounty hunter. Who pulled the toothpick from his lips, and pointed it at him.

"I shouldn't have expected anything," Cad Bane said to him, to which he gave a small grin. Bane downed his drink, "Alright here's the plan, meet me at this warehouse in a couple of hours and the rest will be explained there,"

"Personally, I'm curious as to why you chose me, surely there is someone more up to your expectations?"

Bane shrugged, "It was you or Sing, I picked the better of the two,"

With that Bane took his leave, throwing a credit chip on the counter and tipping his hat as he left the cantina, Khan following short afterwards.

Hours later, Cad Bane, four droids, a Weequay and Patrolian stood gathered around a table as Victor walked in, his helmet under his arm. His expression was emotionless, and his gaze was cold; calculating, trying to figure out the two other unknown organic individuals. Them doing the same to him.

"Gather round, Shahan and Robonino, this is Khan he'll be working with us on this one," The two bounty hunters nodded, not wanting to question the deadly mercenary.

"Here's the gig, I've been hired by the Hutts to break one of their own out of prison, now listen up, I don't want to have to repeat myself,"

And so Cad Bane launched into a lengthy plan involving how they were going to infiltrate the Senate building via the docking platform, showed them the schematics of the East Wing of the building.

"Khan, I want you up high," Bane pulled up the holographic image of a building adjacent to the platform, "You'll be taking 'em out with that fancy rifle of yours," And to make an example, Victor hefted the large caliber weapon off of the magnetic panels on his back.

"That's it. Get some shut eye, because in the morning, we got a date with some senators," Bane said with his trademark grin, the Weequay stifled a laugh and they began to go their separate ways. Cad nodded to Victor and left with the four droids, two assassin and two commando.

Exiting the warehouse, he took in the great smell, and he used that word _very _loosely, of the Coruscanti city scape, at dusk it looked almost peaceful most unaware of the hardship and turmoil that occurred on the lower levels. For a moment he stood there watching the crowd go by, thinking on everything that could've happened to him. Why he had chosen to become a bounty hunter. His stomach growled at him, and Victor was brought back to reality, deciding to grab some grub he stepped into a local renowned restaurant. Dex's Diner.

-POV Change-

Meanwhile, just as the up and coming bounty hunter entered the diner, Anakin Skywalker and his padawan learner Ahsoka Tano walked down the seedy streets towards the dinner. Ahsoka looked tense being in this shadier part of the city wide planet, her hand not straying far from her lightsaber, always ready for a fight. Her master, however was a completely different story, he looked completely at ease as he strolled, glancing over at his Togrutan padawan.

"No need to look so tense, snips," Anakin said lightheartedly, attempting to make her relax. She gave a small smile, and her hand strayed farther from the weapon.

"So, why here, master?" Ahsoka asked curiously.

"Dex is an old friend of mine, and besides it'll be nice to have something different to eat," Pushing open the door to the diner to allow her through, Dex looking up as he heard the bell on the door chime, and broke into a large grin. Throwing the towel over his shoulder, he waddled out from the kitchen with his arms wide open, "Well if it isn't little Ani," Dex said in his deep voice. As he began to crush Anakin in a bear hug. As Dex and Anakin caught up, Ahsoka took a moment to survey the diner.

Some off duty dock workers on a night out, and a couple of freighter pilots, but only one stood out to her. A male human around her age sat alone at the far end of the diner, right by the exit, wearing armor that reminded her absently of the images she had seen of Mandolorians in the Jedi Archives, his helmet sat on the table along with a plate of sliders. Her mouth watered at the sight of them, the aroma inside the diner finally catching up to her.

"Let me introduce you to my padawan, Ahsoka Tano," Anakin said with a pride, as she turned back to look at the establishment owner. Dex's smile was infectious and she broke out in her own as she gave a small bow to the man, whom gave an over courteous bow of his own in a joking fashion. Anakin laughed at the cooks antics.

"Take a seat, I'll cook you up some grub, it's on the house," Dex said as he made his way back to the kitchen, the two Jedi taking a seat at an empty booth as the waitress bot wheeled herself over and asked for their orders.

Anakin didn't have to take a look at the menu, "I'll have the sliders," Ahoska looked up from the menu, "I'll have the same."

"Coming right up," She said as she wheeled off towards the out window, handing the note to Dex.

The double doors chimed, Anakin looked up to see a Rhodian and a Trandoshan enter the diner, blasters at their hips, "We may have trouble," He said to his padawan, keeping track of the two with his peripherals. Ahsoka casually looked towards the two, then looked back. The Trandoshan tipped his head in the armored individual's direction with a hiss, as his tongue flicked out of its mouth.

Sensing trouble, the dock workers threw some credits on the table and made their way out of the diner, the freighter pilots not far behind. Leaving only the male human, the two thugs, and the two Jedi still in the dining area, Ahsoka placed her hand on her lightsaber as the two slid into the same booth as the human.

-Victor's POV-

Khan had seen the two thugs enter the diner, both worked for a local crime boss, who he had recently double crossed in a bounty, the other offer being ten times more worth it. The Rhodian slid into the other side of the booth, blaster leveled at Khan's gut, and the Trandoshan took a seat at the bar across from the booth, orange eyes glaring at Victor's own glacier blue.

"The boss, is displeased that you wished to go against his agreement," The Rhodian said, with a small glare.

"That's too bad," Khan replied, taking a large bite out of one of the sliders, staring down the Rhodian thug.

"You shouldn't have done that," He said, green hand tightening on the blaster, the Trandoshan inching further off of his seat. Victor took a long look at the Trandoshan, swallowed and gave a small smirk that never reached his eyes, "Trust me, you don't want to do this," Victor said.

"I think we do," The Rhodian replied, finger resting on the trigger, the Trandoshan standing once more.

Victor wiped his hands with a napkin, and saw the two Jedi at the other end of the diner stand up, and walked into the aisle. "So be it," He said, springing into action, he kicked the Rhodian's blaster up into the bottom of the table as the alien fired it. As the thug clutched his hand painfully, Victor threw his helmet at the Trandoshan as it moved to grab him, stunning him long enough for him to draw the blaster attached to his thigh and finish off the Rhodian. He brought his foot into the Trandoshan's chest, and sent the lizard like alien flying over the bar, firing off three quick shots into the aliens chest before he fell out of sight. He grabbed his ODST helmet from its place on the ground and put it under his arm again.

The two Jedi, the master human, and looked strangely familiar, the other was some kind of alien he didn't immediately recognize, Togrutan perhaps? Ignoring the two dead criminals, the Jedi ignite their lightsabers and came after him, he fired a couple of lazily aimed shots to distract them. Before running out the back door, quickly shoving the helmet on his head he took off into a dead sprint, one that would make a Spartan proud.

" Stop, now!" He heard the human Jedi shout at him, he gave a short huff of laughter, what kind of idiot would stop now? He tapped a button on his wristlink and his jetpack ignited sending him flying off into the Coruscant night, Anakin saw a speeder sitting nearby and quickly hotwired it.

"Get on," He called out as Ahsoka jumped on, wrapping her arms around his waist. Anakin flew off after the killer, weaving in and out of traffic with ease. Slowly but surely, they were gaining on him. Pulling up alongside him, Anakin yelled over the high winds, "Stop, this is your last chance!"

The polarized view screen stared back at him, before it was then made clear and Anakin saw in detail the persons face for the first time. He was young, possibly a year or so older than Ahsoka, "Can't do that Mr. Jedi!" he yelled back. Then the armored bounty hunter, flew backwards, stopping propulsion immediately, Anakin craned his neck to look and almost crashed into a hover car. Had it not been for Ahsoka yelling at him, he would have.

Stopping off to the side of the high traffic airspace, Anakin was content to glare at the retreating form of the teenager who had just killed two criminals with apparent ease.

**A/N: I hope you like it, and I maybe I will see some of you guys next time if you decide to stick around for more. **


	2. Chapter 2

Khan was glad that he had been able to escape the Jedi so easily, lest they discover the plot that was already set in motion, now he stood in his position overlooking the docks with the butt of his sniper rifle digging into his shoulder. He was ready to make some money.

"Attention, Attention! This is a restricted area, violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!" Victor heard a voice call out over the PA system, he looked down the scope, watching as the Senate Commandos came marching towards the stopped speeder; Cad Bane hopping out of it.

The Commando's raised their blasters at Bane, the leader of the group pointing at him and issuing orders to the bounty hunter. Who slowly raised his hands into the air, the leader issued an order to one of his troops, who reached into this utility built. Khan zoomed into his chest piece, a headshot was too messy, and squeezed the trigger, sending the large caliber bullet flying forwards and slamming into the guards chest. Knocking him to the ground; dead.

He took a few more lazy pot shots at the commando's as they scattered trying to find cover. One of the soldiers pointed at his position and he frowned sending a bullet into his chest, silencing him forever. While Victor didn't necessarily enjoy killing the men being a soldier and all, he still had to do it, they had a job to do and so did he.

Quickly he dropped another guard, and watched as Bane tackled the leader against the side of a shuttle and began to brawl with him as the others emerged from the speeder, taking the rest of the Commandos out, just as Cad snapped the leader's neck.

The infamous bounty hunter gave the signal and Victor picked up his rifle and hopped into the speeder with Robonino. It was a short trip to the docking platform, arriving just as the commando droids finished getting on the Senate Commando's armor, insuring that there wouldn't be any unwanted visitors arriving.

Khan stepped down from the speeder and made his way over to the group as Cad Bane finished giving orders to the droids, "Everybody else, follow me," Bane finished. The rest of them then began to make their way into the Senate building.

Thanks to the blueprints giving to them by Bane's client, they were provided with several key locations that would be needed to be taken over, arriving at the first one the two assassin droids acquired the Senate Commando guarding the door.

"Stop!" The guard said, seconds before he was thrown through the door with two blaster holes in his chest, and into a computer pillar. The droids destroyed the few service droids that were working in the room, standing directly behind Bane he heard him speak to Robonino, "You know what to do?" he questioned.

"I'll figure it out," The fish like alien said.

"You better not fail me, bubble brain," The Duro's snarled.

"Don't worry!" It exclaimed, "I'll have it off in no time," he finished casually.

"The rest of you, come with me," Bane said, parting through the small group as he led them to their next location.

They snuck along the grey corridor as they neared their next location, treading lightly on their feet, "Quietly," Their leader said as he neared a corner, which connected to an adjacent corridor, "The next guard change happens, now."

Boots could be heard, thudding against the metal floor of the corridor; then the sound of a door opening could be heard.

"Here we go," Bane said, a thermal detonator in his gloved hand, as he tip toed towards the still open doorway, all the while the grenade ticked angrily. Stepping up towards it, he tossed the grenade into the center of the Commandos, some of them looked towards the sound of a grenade hitting the floor.

The door closed and he tipped his hat to the doomed Commandos, and stepped away as the detonator exploded. Heavy metal slammed against the floor, flames leaked out of the barracks, "Now let's go talk to some senators," Bane said as he looked over his shoulder.

Whilst Victor made his way past, he felt a hand grab his boot and slowly looked down at the crawling Commando, "H-help me," he coughed out.

Khan drew his blaster and aimed it at the man, "My apologies," he said as he squeezed the trigger once, putting the man out of his misery.

-Line Break-

They entered into the atrium with a trio of blaster fire into the air, startling the senators all grouped there, who turned to look at the one who had fired them, Cad Bane.

"Good morning senator's, you should all consider yourself to be in my power," They turned to watch as each group of two entered, save for Victor who entered alone, "As long as everybody behaves, this will be quick and painless. Do not, and this will all be over soon,"

"I don't know who you think you are, but I for one have no intention of listening to this kind of insolence," A particularly brave, or stupid, three eyed senator said as he brushed past Cad Bane. Bad move, Khan thought. Bane almost immediately drew his pistol and fired two shots into the senator's back. The other assembled senators, they let out cries of horror and a few gasps at the senator's demise.

"Alright then," Cad said waving his blaster around, "If you all will gather in the center of this lovely atrium, my coworkers and I will relieve you of any communications devices," Bane holstered his weapon.

Bane pulled out a small hologram projector from his overcoat pocket, and activated it, "Sorry to bother you Chancellor, but I've taken control of the East Wing of your Senate building, and the occupants are now my hostages. If you care about them, I'd advise you to free Ziro the Hutt from your detention center," Bane said.

"You should know that the Republic does not take kindly to such threats. If you have attempted such a foolhardy action as to kidnap a senator. I assure you that it will be met with appropriate force," Palpatine stated firmly.

Just then, the power failed in the building, Robonino accomplishing his task. Lights went to an emergency red, and the senator's looked around curiously, wondering what had happened.

"I'm in control. I make the rules now." Bane finished, shutting off the holo-projector.

Khan gave him a discreet thumbs up with one hand, and Cad snarled, his version of a small grin. Bane drew his customized blaster again and aimed it at the senator nearest him, "Hand over your communication devices please,"

The rest of the group worked the room, collecting devices while Victor stood guard, making sure none of them did anything foolish, sure he expected at least a few to rebel, but thankfully only one did. Lessening the body count and the charges that faced them if any of them were caught.

"Why hello there little lady," Bane said cupping the woman's chin with his free hand, "And who might you be?"

"I am Padme Amidala, Senator from Naboo, and I demand that you release us immediately. The Galactic Senate will not treat with terrorists," Padme stated proudly, with an expression of disgust on her face, shaking her head out of Bane's grip.

Meanwhile Anakin Skywalker crept along the second floor of the atrium, peering through one of the gaps in the railing. So that's why the power went out, he said to himself. The group of bounty hunters had encircled the small group of senators, Padme among them, and so was the man from Dex's last night.

"Aren't you awfully young and pretty to be a senator?" The Duro's said, turning to fire at Anakin as Padme glanced up at him briefly. The Force warned him, and he moved from where the lasers would have hit him, taking off into a run. Lasers following him as he ran around the atrium.

"Skywalker!" He heard the Duros call out, quickly followed by, "After him!"

Great, Anakin thought, as he took off down a hallway. Taking out his communicator he said, "Hello? Come in. Anyone there?" only to be met with static. As he turned the corner, he saw a Weequay male and an assassin droid do the same. They fired at him, missing by inches, he reached for his lightsaber instinctively.

"Uh-oh," he said aloud, back tracking as more lasers found their marks on the walls. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw the duo hot on his tail firing at him all the while, turning another corner he ducked into a room with a large holo-projector and stepped up to it.

Opening a small access hatch, he snapped his communicator in half, and scrambled around for the correct wire, the footsteps of the two ever present in his ears. Anakin yanked the wire out and attached it to the main half of his communicator, "This is General Skywalker, Chancellor Palpatine, can you hear me?"

"My dear boy, I'm glad to know you're there and alright,"

"What is going on down there?" he said loudly.

"They've sealed the entire building, nobody can get in, and we cannot get out. It's up to you, you have to get to the power control room and turn off the security seal." Palpatine responded.

Hearing the footsteps right outside the room, he disconnected the communicator and hid on the side of the projector facing away from the door, just as the two turned the corner. The beams from their lights hitting the wall of the room.

"You have two more floors to check," Anakin said, under his breath, using a mind trick against the Weequay.

"C'mon, we got two more floors to check," He heard the Weequay say soon after, the pair leaving the doorway. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief, peering out from his hiding place. Silently he followed the two, watching as they split up at the staircase.

"You go down, I'll go up. We'll meet on the other side." The Weequay commanded.

He crept behind the assassin droid as it descended the stairs, peering out over the railing. The robot stopped and he moved in for the kill, the robot turned as the last of his steps were picked up by its sensors.

Grabbing ahold of the long gun it favored, he tackled it to the ground and punched it in the head. Holding on to the blaster with both hands, he wrestled with it for a moment, before he was shoved off by the droid.

The droid grabbed onto it from the other side, and they began to push and shove across the hall, Anakin was shoved against the small table and rammed into the vases and jars that sat on it, knocking them all off. Shoved into a beam, he punched the droid in the head and knocked it back, gaining full control of the rifle.

He leveled it, but the droid however had other plans, it grabbed the end of the blaster and bended the barrel until it faced Anakin's head. Now useless, he used a Force augmented punch to throw the droid across the hallway and into the wall. Anakin used the bent blaster as a club, smashing the droid to pieces. Just as he heard the Weequay approach, he threw the blaster down and took off towards the power control room.

-Line Break-

Shahan returned, and was immediately bombarded by questions form Bane, "What happened? Where's the droid?"

The Weequay grinned darkly, "The droid's gone, but there's good news. The Jedi's unarmed,"

"What?" Bane said disbelievingly, putting a hand on his hip.

"It doesn't look like he has his lightsaber," He said, hefting his blaster into the air.

Bane turned to Khan, "Go, and bring him back to me,"

Khan tilted his head towards the door, and Alma followed, Victor began to take them to the power control room. After all that was what he would do if he was in such a scenario.

"So where did Bane find you?" Shahan said, attempting to make small talk as they set upon their task.

"He's known me for years, old friends you could say," Khan answered quickly, sating the Weequay's curiosity.

"I ain't never seen armor like that before, where'd you get it?" he said, admiring the armor.

"I've got my sources," he respond cryptically.

The former pirate nodded, and they began to start into a quick jog, as they turned the corner to the power control room, they saw Skywalker banging on the door.

"Come out, I won't hurt you,"

"I highly doubt that," Khan said drily, slinging his rifle over his back, and reaching to the sheathe on his chest plate, which contained a large deadly sharp combat knife.

"You again!?" Skywalker exclaimed.

He drew it slowly allowing the light to glint off of its blade and into the Jedi's eye who, whom naturally blinked. Khan took advantage of this and made a wide slash with his knife, Anakin Skywalker jumped back out of its path and Khan followed up with a kick to his chest, sending him into the door.

The door opened from the other side, and Robonino put two tasers to the Jedi's neck sending electricity surging throughout his body. Skywalker cried out in pain, before he fell unconscious, Victor nudged him with his foot as he put the knife back in its place. Assuring that the Jedi wasn't faking.

Unceremoniously, he threw the Jedi over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and made his way back to the atrium, the other two following behind him.

When they arrived, he promptly dumped Skywalker onto the ground as Bane approached him, "Young Skywalker," he said kneeling down, "Not so impressive without your lightsaber, are you, Jedi?" Bane mocked.

"Toss him in with the others!" Bane ordered, Victor grabbed Skywalker by the back of his robes and tossed him at the feet of Padme Amidala, whom he had heard a lot about from Lord Hood. Lord Hood, or Shipmaster of Shipmasters as the Sangheili called him, praised her persistence and bravery, wishing more people like her would step up and do something about a needless war. After fighting insurrectionists for years, Hood knew how pointless such fighting could be. The old man wouldn't be too happy that he had kidnapped the Senator.

"3-D, are we on schedule?" Bane said into the communicator on his wrist.

"We are arriving at the prison now," The droid responded from the other end.

"Go and get the," he paused, "The parting gift," Bane said with a sliver of humor in his voice. He and the others took the small devices from the Patrolian's backpack and placed them on the pillars that had been designated to them during planning.

"The crisis is averted, I got what I wanted and you got your senators back. But don't try anything until the sun has set, understand?" Bane said to the noticeably irked Chancellor of the Republic.

"We need to get to the landing platform, is everything ready?" Bane asked Robonino.

"Yep yep," it answered.

"Turn on the field," Cad then turned to the senators, "If you so much as breathe on one of these lasers, the whole room will blow up. Senators, Jedi," Bane called out, "I bid you all a most respectful farewell,"

Bane turned, "Let's go," the crew of bounty hunters followed behind their leader, eager to get paid.

Two Republic dropships landed in front of them; barring their path. Troops filed out, weapons raised and aim at them all.

Bane stopped and pulled out his holo-projector. "You were foolish to think you could get away with this, bounty hunter, now lay down your arms and come quietly," Palpatine demanded.

"No chance. I'm afraid it was you who have been foolish with the senator's lives. One false move, and the east wing of the Senate building goes up in smoke," Bane replied.

"You win bounty hunter," The Chancellor said with a frown.

The troops lowered their weapons as the transmission ended, and Bane put the communicator away.

"Holster 'em" Bane demanded.

Their commanding officer seemed to mull it over, "Stand down," he said bitterly, allowing the bounty hunters to pass, Bane's finger raised but an inch above the button that would detonate the explosives they had just laid.

"Come on," Bane said as the speeder pulled up to the docks, and the group stepped in, "Well, let's go," he said, standing up on the top of the speeder, as the assassin droid piloted away into the evening traffic.

"Why Hutt, it doesn't look like prison had to adverse an effect on you," Bane commented.

"Oh you can't imagine the, the unspeakable things I've suffered. The horror, I don't think I'll ever truly recover," The Hutt said, Victor took an instant disliking to the slug like creature.

"How 'bout some dead senators as payback?" Bane asked, pressing the button on his wrist pad.

Khan knew as well as Bane knew that the senators weren't dead, unless the Jedi hadn't done something about it, in that case they had just done the Jedi Order quite the favor.

Bane was smirking until Ziro the Hutt spoke again, "Congratulations on a job well done, bounty hunter."

"Time to pay up Hutt, I don't work for free," Cad stated, grimacing at the thought of lost monetary gain, the Hutt swallowed hard at the prospect of paying up.

Cad had told them to wait in the small warehouse, where they had originally planned the whole operation, while he went to go get them there credits. And truth be told, Victor didn't think Bane was coming back with the money, he was proved wrong however when the door to the warehouse was thrown open and the Duros came waltzing in with two cases full of credits.

Setting them down on the table, he opened them and dived the two cases up into four equal shares of credits, Victor unclipped a small pouch from his waist and slid the credits off the edge of the table and into the sack.

"Alright you three, lay low for a while, got it?" Bane said looking intently at the other bounty hunters. They nodded in response.


	3. Chapter 3

With the credits on his person, he walked out of his Coruscanti safe house, and was forced to go through the bar. Passing by the counter, he stopped dead in his tracks and saw several clone's interrogating the bartender. Holding up a small holographic version to himself to the bartender, the snake used his tale to point at him, the white and blue colored clones, which he instantly recognized as the 501st Legion. Their leader, a clone with dual blaster pistols, walked up to him, as he stood steadfast. The captain's men encircled him, ready for a fight.

"General, we have him," The clone said into his wrist communicator.

"Good job Rex," Skywalkers voice responded.

Victor looked at the four men who had 'captured' him, he snorted, and cracked his neck, followed by his knuckles. The clone off to his right, looked at the captain for a moment, and that was when he struck.

Pushing the weapon into the air, he kneed the clone in the stomach, and disarmed him of his weapon. Now holding him in a chokehold with a blaster pointed at the clones head, they stared each other down. Captain Rex, as he was called, had unholstered his dual blasters as soon as he had moved, but Victor knew he was hesitant to shoot one of his own and used that to his advantage.

"Let him go, scum," The Captain said, as more clones arrived, followed by Anakin Skywalker himself, and his padawan. Whom he had to admit, did look rather attractive. Both now had their lightsabers activated, and ready to use them.

"Here's how this is gonna go down," Khan said in an even tone, "I'm gonna leave with your man, and when I get where I want to go, I'll think about releasing him," His dark eyes glaring from under his helmet.

The Jedi waved his hand, saying, "You will let him go."

Khan chuckled darkly, "Your Jedi mind tricks won't work on me Skywalker; the Force cannot affect me,"

Anakin spared a glance at his padawan, who looked up with confusion, a person that the Force had no power over?

The bounty hunter was slowly walked towards the door to the street, and when he got to it, he slammed the door open with his blaster hand, and just as he crossed the threshold he threw the clone back into the Jedi and his troops. Taking off into a dead sprint, he activated his thrusters and took off into the air, blue lasers flying after him.

-POV Change-

Rex aimed carefully with one of his pistols, and fired. The blue laser flew through the air and the struck the bounty hunter in the back, knocking out his main thrusters and sending him falling through the air and into one of Coruscant's numerous back alleys.

"Nice shot Rex," Anakin commented with a smile, before he took off with his padawan, leaving Captain Rex and his men to bring up the rear. The Jedi using Force augmented sprinting in order to ensure that their query did not escape them again.

"Come on men!" Rex called out as he rallied the others, using a map of the area, and assuming the bounty hunter was travelling by foot, they could cut him off.

Seeing the Jedi speed off ahead, Rex turned right with his troops, and then a left, cutting off the other end of the alley. They took up defensive positions around trash bins and a parked speeder, blasters aimed at the other side of the alley, waiting for the General and the Commander to flush him out.

Just then they heard the roar of an unfamiliar weapon, and their grip tightened around their weapons. Rex could honestly say he was surprised when a glowing blue ball came from around the corner and stuck to the chest plate of one of the shinnies, Lucky. Lucky clawed at the strange object and found that it was stuck to him, it grew brighter and then exploded taking another brother with him. Wasn't so lucky after all, huh? Rex grimly thought.

Then he came, the bounty hunter called Khan sprinting full speed as he dashed in and out of cover. He used a waste bin to propel himself into the air, and over Rex's head. He was the first to respond, whipping his weapons around and unleashing a flurry of rounds at the armored man, some missed while others hit their mark. Sending the man stumbling, yet he recovered and kept on running.

He was tough, Rex would give him that. Not a second later General Skywalker and Commander Tano jumped over them as well, heading in the direction he had just left.

Anakin knew they had to cut him off now, or else he would reach the hangars and docks that made up the nearest spaceport, he saw ahead the bounty hunter push a button on his wrist and he half expected some sort of trap or device to come flying back. But when nothing did, he grew suspicious. Had he been calling for help? Setting a trap? He was uncertain, and felt a small amount of anger well up inside of him at the fate of the troops that Khan had killed.

He slid over the hood of a parked speeder, and saw the figure beginning to slow as the alley began to open up, and then they reached the massive hole in the planet that was the Coco Town spaceport. Standing at the edge of the hole the bounty hunter looked down, as he took a tentative step backwards; closer to the edge.

"Give up sleemo, and we might just let you walk away unharmed," Ahsoka said menacingly, a small amount of blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, the result of the mercenary's armored fist.

He took another step back, "Stop right there," Anakin growled.

Khan stopped and his hands reached up to his head, and twisted the helmet a small amount, a _hiss _escaping. Victor gripped the bottom of his helmet with one hand, and held it at his side. He spit a glob of blood from his mouth to the ground, and took a deep shaky breath, his ribs felt like they were on fire. Most likely due to the savage Force augmented kick that Anakin had given him.

"Why should I!" he yelled, as the Jedi began to come closer.

"I can't give myself up Skywalker," Anakin moved closer towards, while Ahsoka flanked from the left.

He reached towards his blaster and the two tensed up, Khan unclipped it from the side and tossed it over the edge. His shaved head shone in the sun, and he looked desirably at the drop before him.

"Don't jump, you don't want to do it," Anakin said, attempting to defuse the situation.

Then he did it, Khan closed his eyes, and slammed his helmet back on his head, before turning his back towards them and taking a small running jump off of the edge, "No!" Anakin called out.

As suddenly as he was gone, he reappeared on a small ramp at the back of a large green ship, Khan walked inside the hatch closing behind him and the engines began to grow louder. He was leaving, Ahsoka realized and thinking quickly grabbed a small tracking device and tossed it onto the side of the ship, seconds before it rocketed away into the atmosphere.

"He got away again," Anakin said bitterly.

"No he didn't," Ahsoka said with a grin, "I got a tracking device on the back of his ship, just in time too,"

Anakin let out a grin of his own, "Nice thinking," he complimented.

-Line Break-

Victor slumped into the pilot's seat of his pelican as he charted in the coordinates he needed for his slip space jump. Now the Jedi knew what his ship looked like, and if he went back to a Republic controlled planet he would surely be found and apprehended, thankfully he was going to a Hutt controlled planet. Tatooine.

Hopefully who he was going to see, was as glad to see him as he was.

-Line Break-

The world of Tatooine was a desolate place, its entirety covered in large deserts, and inhabited by the viscous native Tusken Raiders. And by the well-known Jabba the Hutt and his gangsters. Which was one of the reasons that this place had been chosen as a safe haven, the Republic had little authority here, and if they wanted to step foot anywhere in Hutt space they would have to appease the Hutt's.

For the most part Jabba left most of the moisture farms alone, albeit he made them pay him some extra when they took their crops to harvest, but that was of no issue.

The olive green dropship descended to the planet's surface and past the large stone formations that were dotted around the desert. It slowed its approach to a small adobe hovel, surrounded by a sea of dunes and at regular intervals were the moisture evaporators.

Landing near the other Pelican, he shut off the engines and lowered the ramp. The area where troops waiting to be deployed normally sat, had the large majority of the rows of seats removed and in its place was his sort of mobile command center. A small messy cot that would have ticked off his former drill sergeant, a computer station from where he received the majority of his bounties, and a small armory. Full of UNSC weapons, and the odd blaster or two, mainly due to the fact that holding a blaster almost made him feel like a genocidal member of the Covenant.

He stepped out of the ramp and felt his feet sink a little into the sand, the winds whipped around him, and for the first time in his life he felt at peace in this desolate place. Like all his worries had been stripped away by the sands.

Khan had a good reason to be a bounty hunter, mostly because word spread fast in the criminal underworld. He would know first-hand if some large ring like object had been found, a mysterious and deadly disease, or even the appearance of sleek bulbous purple ships. Hopefully he would hear of neither of them. For if he did, he would fear for the very survival of this galaxy.

The door to the small hut was open, and he very casually walked in, the wall opposite the door held a long cot, with the UNSC eagle emblazoned above it. A folding chair was set up next to the bed, and in it sat the prestigious captain of the UNSC Infinity, the last true Human ship. Thomas Lasky gave him a small smile as he snapped to attention.

"At ease Khan, you know I'm not much for formalities," Victor nodded his head.

"Force of habit," He replied as he took a deep breath, "How's he doing?"

Lasky gave him a sad look, stood and pulled him off to the other side of the room, "Not good, even with the medicine we've been giving him," he sighed, "I had a medic from the Infinity take a look at him, I don't know how much longer he has Victor. You might want to say your goodbyes."

He gave Khan a pat on the shoulder and left him to talk to the man lying on the bed alone. Taking off his helmet, he sat down in the chair and pulled it closer to the bed. He felt his heart pang with sorrow, constricting like a snake around his ribcage, "Lord Hood, it's good to see you," he said with a smile.

The elderly Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood, sat on his deathbed, the white naval cap that seemed to never leave his bald head was gone, sitting on the bedside table. Hanging in the open closet was his standard uniform, and next to the cap on his head were the numerous medals that he had one during his lifelong service to Earth. And now that it was gone, he looked almost always sad, blaming himself for the loss of humanity's home world.

Hood opened his eyes to look at him, and gave a rare smile, "It's good to see you Vic," using the nick name that only Hood himself was allowed to call him.

Khan swallowed hard, "How you feeling, old man," taking a playful jab at the man, Hood gave a chuckle which soon turned into a fit of coughing.

"Well, you look just like I feel," The older man retorted, which earned him a small chuckle from Victor. They sat in a comfortable silence for some time, enjoying each other's company.

Victor broke the silence, "Ever since the day you and the Arbiter saved me from Omega Base, I've looked up to, and in time you became the father I never knew," he said meaningfully, looking at him.

"Victor, I've never been wholly comfortable with you being a mercenary for hire," Hood said, then sighed, "But you did it for the right reasons, and in the end, that's what really matters," He swallowed hard, "Truthfully, you've been the son I always wanted."

Hood let out a series of coughs, covering his mouth with his hand, when he removed it there were specks of blood on his palm. He looked grimly at his hand, "Vic, we both know I don't have long to live, and I want to make the most of what I have left."

Lord Hood looked past Victor and out the door, "Captain Lasky, a word please," he called out. Almost immediately, the captain came into the hut and stood at attention.

"At ease son," Hood raised a shaky arm at the three stripes with a star above it emblazoned on his shoulder, "You won't be needing those anymore,"

Lasky looked slightly confused at this statement, "Sir?"

"What I mean is that you are now Fleet Admiral Lasky, take them son, you need them more than I do," Hood said, pointing at the uniform that he had worn during his time in the UNSC, "You have some shoes to fill Lasky, but I'm confident that you can do it," he stated firmly.

Lasky looked reluctant and a bit saddened at being promoted, in another day perhaps another time he would have been overjoyed. As one of his last wishes, Lasky followed it out and picked up the Naval uniform.

"I'm so proud," Hood went into a coughing fit, "of both of you."

He grabbed Khan by the arm, and leaned him in close, "Find him," he said barely audible as he shoved a small data chip into his open palm, and wrapped his fingers around it. Lord Hood began to start breathing slower, his chest rising and falling in longer intervals, before finally his breathing stopped. And Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood was dead.

Victor turned his head and shoved back tears that threatened to surface, wiping his hand, before turning back to the only man that he had been able to call father. He bowed his head in respect, and Thomas Lasky did the same.

"He deserves a proper burial," Khan said quietly.

Lasky nodded in agreement, "There's a reason I didn't bring Marines today… we've found a new home Victor,"

His head snapped upward and he looked directly into Lasky's eyes, trying to determine if he was lying, but they only spoke with truth.

"Where?"

"We found a small garden world, inside a small system with a couple of planets that could be terraformed later on, it's far enough away that nobody will find us any time soon,"

Victor nodded his head once, "How are the Sangheili doing?"

"They've just very recently won several key battles, but the Arbiter fears that the Covenant may become desperate and use more harsh tactics,"

"It's very possible,"

Khan went and drew the sheets over Hood's face, "I'm going to start digging, care to help Lord Lasky," he said with a sad smile. Which was returned with a nod from the new Fleet Admiral and now de facto leader of Humanity.

-Line Break-

Up above the desert planet, Anakin Skywalker's ship the _Twilight _dropped out of hyper space and began to cruise slowly into the planet's atmosphere.

"The signals coming from several miles outside of Mos Espa," Anakin said raising a hand to his chin.

"Could he be working with Jabba?" Ahoska asked.

Anakin shook his head, "No, that's nowhere near where Jabba's palace it. There's nothing out there but sand and moisture farms."

"Well then, let's go find out what he's doing out there."

They flew low over the sand dunes to stay undetectable, landing a few miles from the beacon. As the ramp on the ship opened and Anakin stepped off he gave an almost uncomfortable look around the desert, "Let's hurry this up, I don't want to be here any longer than we have to," he muttered.

"Something wrong master?" His padawan asked, worry etched across her features.

"I'm fine," He looked at the two sun's position in the sky, "The suns going to set, we don't want to be caught out here after dark."

"If you say so," Ahsoka mumbled to herself, at her master's response to her question. They then set off, taking long Force augmented strides across the sands, leaping over rocks and dunes as the closed in on their query. As they got within a couple of miles of the beacon, they saw two ships lift off to their north and fly off into space.

Checking the beacon, Ahsoka saw that he hadn't left the planet yet and they still had time to apprehend him. They sped up and came to a small ridge overlooking a large divot in the area, at its near center was a small hut however there was no ship there.

"Let's go!" Ahsoka said eagerly as she stood up, but was yanked down behind cover by her master.

"Be patient, we don't know what we're walking into," Anakin said as he pulled out a pair of binoculars. Putting them to his head, he zoomed in towards the hut, and nearby was a small marker in the sand and by it the bounty hunter. He knelt in the sand and looked down on what Anakin assumed was a grave of sorts, and felt a small pang in his heart.

They watched him for some time, he didn't move an inch. After a few more moments Anakin stood and put the small binoculars back in there place on his belt, and gestured for Ahsoka to follow him as he descended at the slight angle towards the bounty hunter.

-Line Break-

The bounty hunter didn't move as they steadily approached, transfixed on the freshly dug grave, meaning whoever died must have died recently as a shovel still lay close to the grave. Khan reached for his belt, and the two froze, their hands on the hilts of their lightsabers. He removed a pouch from his waist and Anakin thought he heard the faint sound of credits clanking together inside of it. Victor threw the pouch onto the grave, and said," Requiescant in pace," in a language that was unknown to Anakin.

He then stood, and turned to face the two, and tossed something at Ahsoka who caught it without so much as a flinch, before she turned her hand and looked it over. It was the tracking device that she had planted on his ship during their confrontation on Coruscant.

"Clever of you, I'll admit, I didn't suspect a thing until I saw you fly in from the south," he stated, a sad look on his face, and Anakin's padawan flushed slightly at the compliment.

"I have one question before I take you in, why? Why did you do it? It wasn't the smartest thing to do," Anakin deadpanned, looking at him as he put cuffs around his wrists.

The mercenary, looked down at the grave, "For him," he said softly, allowing himself to be taken away.

**A/N: Thanks to l3t0r, dghornick, nookzer, and for Reviewing! And thanks to everyone else for Favoriting and Following this story! All I have left to say is that I would love it if you all could Review, so I can better judge how people stand on this story. See you all next time.**


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